The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1887-12-14
Father MahOney for Pro.
hibitiOn.

If the Convention was the pres.
ence of several Scandinavians and
an Irish priest as delegates. The
nriest was Father Mahoney, of St
Paul When called out and in
yited to the platform, Monday
afternoon, he was greeted by a
storm of cheers. l have enjoyed
varied ex periences in Prohibition
service, but most novel of them
all, | admit, was the pleasure of
introducing to Prohibition con-
ference, as delegate thereto,
nriest of the Catholic church. l
am glad the privilege was accord
ed me. Father Mahoney may he
thirty. five years old. He has an
intellectual face, a low voice, keen
black eyes, and singular diffidence.
He very frar kly disclaimed any
gifts of public speech, but in modest
fashion he told of the progress his
church is making towards prohibit
bition, and of the Catholic Access
sions we may ere long expect.
Already he does not stand alone
amor g the priesthood for party pro-
hibition, and of non-partisan pro-
hibitionists his church numbers
not few including Bishop Spauld-
ing as we'll as Bishop Ireland. The
lalter's influence is marked
throughout this region. Of the
234 saloonkeepers in Minneapolis
not one, l am reliably informed, is
an Irishman. The Bishop will not
tolerate any liquor selling by Cath
olics of his Diocese.
The State committee.
George S. Wells is model Sec
rotary. Associated with him and
Chairman Pinkham is State
Committee passing in grit and
grip any other with which l am
familiar. They have been in ses-
sion many hours of to-day, plan
ming for the years effort just be-
gun. They will raise $1,000 for
pushing organization, and educa-
ton, and will expend it wisely. I
am delighted by their business
spirit and growing zeal. Perhaps
if we had more northwestern ener-
gy and courage, scattered the
country through, we'd build par
ty swifter, Its like moral tonic
to come up here and stay a week.
MinnesOta's High License.
Minnesota's new policy OF high
license began operation last July.
Proclamation has gone abroad thus
early that it is grand success. To
prove It, the fact is cited that this
city has one hundred saloons less
than under low license. But what
makes the decrease in saloons :?
Prohlbition A patrol limit was es-
tabllshed, outside of which no sa-
loon could 60. Nine tenths of
Minneapolis is therefore under
prohibition, total and complete, for
IN that area of the town, Prohabi
ton does prohibit, as all agree, while
IN the high license portion there
are as many saloons as before high
Incense came. And they are kept
oy the same class of men; they sell
as much liquor as they ever did !;
ard the resulting record of crime,
drunkenness and disorder is worse
than 1t ever was. So runs all the
testimony have been able to get.
From the State at large we have
no more encouraging evidence. In
the conference, Monday p. M, one
question answered by every coun-
W reporting was, HAS high H.
cense shown itself a restriction
upon the liquor traffic?" Every
answer gave q negative. Now and
then, the decrease of saloons was
reported in small per cent. but all
concurred that to lop off a saloon
or two did not diminish the amount
Oh liquor sold, or the evil results